Bhagalpur Violence: Union Minister Ashwini Choubey's son moves Patna HC, seeks quashing of FIR filed against him

Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat today moved a plea in the Patna High Court seeking quashing of an FIR filed against him in a case of communal violence in Bihar's Bhagalpur district. 

Shashwat, who has been evading arrest since an FIR was filed against him last week, had earlier filed a bail plea in a local court, which directed the police to produce the case diary.

He has been named, along with eight others, in an FIR lodged in connection with a clash in the Nathnagar police station area of Bhagalpur district on March 17. A court issued an arrest warrant against Shashwat last Saturday following an application by the Nathnagar police.

Violence had erupted after people belonging to minority community objected to loud music being played during a procession taken out on the occasion of the new year as per the Hindu calendar. The procession was being led by Shashwat.

Earlier this week, talking to reporters at his residence in Patna, Shashwat had accused the police of acting on instructions of the Bhagalpur MLA.

Ajeet Sharma of the Congress represents the Bhagalpur seat. He won the constituency in the 2015 polls by defeating Shashwat.

The failure of the police to nab the Union minister's son even after more than a week since the incident has drawn flak from opposition parties like the RJD. 

Several cases of communal violence have been reported from Bihar in past one week.